A great number of wrecks have occurred on the Irish coast. From Wicklow we have a sad tale. Just on the breaking out of the gale the captain and crew of the Wicklow Swash lightship observed drifting in the distance a raft or piece of wreck. On close observation they believed they saw some seamen attached to it and notwithstanding the tremendous weather prevailing the lightship's boat was got out and the wreck reached. It was found to contain two men in a fearful condition from exposure for about 30 hours to wind and water without food and with but scant clothing, The poor men were at once rescued by the lightship's crew.

Their vessel proved to have been the brigantine Catherine Porter of Chester bound from Liverpool to Dublin with coal. She struck on the Kish Bank. The master John James was drowned also a seaman named Sullivan and a lad named Sparks. The two men saved from the raft composed of some ships' timbers were Terence M'Keowen (leg broken) and Richard Jennesey.